Questions of eternal significance: We’re talking about pens today.

Are you a pen snob?

I have never understood the people who buy expensive pens. When I was in private practice there was a guy in my office who kept an expensive Montblanc pen on his desk. Inevitably some intern would grab it to write notes, or hand it to a client to write a check, and it would wind up in the communal cup of office pens, or worse . . . lost completely. And then there would be a bunch of inter-office drama because his pen was lost, and had anyone seen it? Can everyone stop what they are doing and check to see if they have the bougie pen? And I would inwardly roll my eyes because WHHHHHYYYY?? Why have an expensive pen?

I’ve always seen pens as disposable community property. If I loan someone a pen, I don’t expect it back. I would never pay a lot for one because I’m forever losing them. I can barely keep track of my sunglasses.

That being said, I AM a bit of a pen snob in that I have a few kinds that I really prefer writing with. They are a bit more than your typical cheapie Bics, but still pretty reasonable. My lifelong favorite pen has been this guy:

I know it sounds crazy but my handwriting just looks exponentially better with this pen. I usually buy these in bulk and have them around the house. Although . . . here’s another mystery of the human condition. Despite buying these constantly, whenever I go to grab a pen from the pen drawer, the only thing available is a bank pen that doesn’t work, an unsharpened pencil, and an orange crayon. Seriously . . . I can never find a working pen, and my mom’s house is the same way. It’s like an awful genetic condition that I’ve inherited.

Lately, my love for the Precise V5 has been upstaged by a new discovery . . . Le Pen. I know. The name is super cheesy. But it writes like a dream. I don’t know how this thing found it’s way into my life . . . one day, it was just there, in my purse. But I love it. It’s like a tiny pointed marker and everything I write with it just looks prettier.

How about you? What’s your favorite pen? Are you a snob, or do you care? Do you actually buy expensive pens?

Also: Has your handwriting become horrible in the last decade or is it just me? I swear my print used to be cute. Now my handwriting looks like a child.

PS Please tell me you’ve seen the Amazon reviews for Bic for Her pens. One of the funniest things on the internet.